Sprouted Wild Rice and Beet Salad

I just love new food discoveries. You’d think after so many years of experimenting, the fresh ideas and light bulb moments would be few and far between, but I have to say, with utter glee, that this is not the case.

My latest and greatest breakthrough has been sprouting wild rice. As someone who likes to eat predominantly raw food in the warmer months, and avoid turning on the stove, this technique has seen me through the last few weeks with great delight.

The process of sprouting wild rice is very simple, however, requires a little planning ahead. From raw rice to a fully “bloomed”, edible product, you’re looking at 2-3 days, most of that time being spent doing everything except fussing over your future meal. All it takes is a little soaking time, then a few rinses twice a day until the seeds have opened up. This process is called “blooming” because the seeds actually unfold, very much like little petals, revealing the pale, tender insides. It’s a really fun thing to watch, however slowly, and totally groovy to eat something you’ve seen transform just with the power of water and a little patience.

Let’s get Wild!
Wild rice is not a rice or grain at all in fact, but the seed of aquatic grass that grows along the shores of freshwater lakes in Canada and the Northern US. It’s a little more expensive than other rice varieties, but that is because it is often harvested by hand. So cool!

Wild rice is also, of course, wildly nutritious. Containing high levels of protein, fiber, iron, and calcium, wild rice is also gluten-free. It is extremely high in folic acid, an essential B-complex vitamin lacking in many people’s diets. Just half a cup of cooked wild rice yields 21.3 mcg of folic acid, where brown rice offers only 3.9 mcg. The niacin content of wild rice is also notably high with l.06 mg for 1/2 cup cooked. Potassium packs an 83 mg punch, and zinc, which is usually available in trace amounts, registers 1.1 mg.

Wild rice is a wonderful alternative to any grain that you would use in either hot or cold dishes. My favourite is just to use it in hearty salads, like the recipe I have for you today. It’s rich, nutty flavour pairs well with other earthy foods like beets, sweet potato, pumpkins and squash. As we are slowly working our way into autumn (eek!) you’ll notice those veggies showing up in the market more and more.

This salad took advantage of all the amazing produce that is in the garden right now: a rainbow of beets (the Chioggia variety are my favourite – so psychedelic!), as well as purple onions, and fresh herbs. I also added sunflower seeds for crunch, which you can also soak, but just overnight. The dressing I made is a potent ginger blend that is super lively and bright! I love ginger and beets together, as the feisty tuber’s fire contrasts so well against the earthy flavour of beetroots. Simply gorgeous!

Directions:
1. Rinse rice well and place in a glass jar or bowl with fresh, pure water. Let soak outside of the fridge overnight. In the morning drain and rinse the rice, then cover with fresh water and put in the fridge. Drain and rinse the rice at least twice per day for 2-3 days until the rice has “bloomed” – some or all of the grains will have split open, and it should be tender to eat.
2. Once you have sprouted the rice, drain and rinse and place in a large bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients together, then pour half over the rice and fold to coat.
3. Peel beets. Using a mandoline or shape knife, slice beets into thin rounds. Place in the bowl with rice and remaining ingredients. Pour the rest of the dressing over and toss. Garnish with sprouts and mint flowers, if you have some. Serve immediately.

Note: if your rice remains crunchy and none of the grains split after 3 days, your rice might be too old for the sprouting method. Instead, simply boil the rice you’ve tried to sprout, and it should cook in 15-20 minutes. Then buy some new rice and make sure to check the packing and expiry dates before purchasing to ensure freshness. Give it another shot!

Don’ forget to check out this month’s issue of O Magazine for Oprah’s WOW! list…I’ve somehow made the cut along with self-stirring pots and the comet of the century.

ALL wild rice MUST be heat-treated, or it will mold once harvested. (Even that harvested by Indians, eg, the Ojibwes, on reservations.) As a result, it is NOT RAW, thus has no enzymes to work with the complementary enzymes in our bodies to EXTRACT the rice’s nutrients. Sprouted nuts/grains always have a small new root which develops from being soaked;there is none is soaked wild rice because IT IS DEAD. Very little of the nutrients in unsprouted nuts & seeds are available to our bodies, because of the “enzyme inhibitors” which nature gives them, to prevent their releasing their life force unless they are immersed in enough water (& for long enough) to sense that they will sprout, – that their precious life-force will not be be wasted. After sprouted for sufficient time (based on their density), they must be rinsed thoroughly to remove the enzyme inhibitors which have been removed by soaking,

This dark colored Wild Rice does not sprout because at the time of harvesting it’s “heated” to remove the outer husk. As such, it is not raw. When the processed wild rice is soaked in water, the blooming that happens is simply the water being absorbed and making the rice burst open.
Not every grain, seed, or nut we purchase from stores are raw.

Wild Rice is either parboiled or parched to make it shelf stable so some would consider this pre-cooked and not raw. A Scarified Wild rice will split open when soaked as it has tiny scratches in the kernel allowing the water to absorbed. If it is not scarified it will not burst open even if it is freshly milled.

Beautiful post as always! Sprouting is such a great way to get raw protein into our diets!

Two small corrections, though.

Wild rice most certainly is a grain. It’s not Asian rice, though it is closely related (in the same sub-family). Grains include cereals, legumes, and other hard little seeds like quinoa and buckwheat. You might be thinking of cereal grains, which is a more limited group – wheat, rice, corn, rye, barley, etc. – but actually wild rice is a cereal grain as well.

Also, it’s a bit strange to say that its natural distribution is Canada and Northern US. As you know, Canada is gigantic (the size of all of Europe). Wild rice is definitely not found throughout the country and is limited to the south central and east. The distribution in the US is possibly even bigger – being found in varying forms throughout most of the eastern half of the country.

Hi Sarah!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was just lovely. I added slivered radishes that I had on hand and it gave it a little extra kick. Thank you for the recipe and for teaching us a new technique!

Looks gorgeous:) Soaking is so great for optimal digestion. And yes I just noticed you hiding in the pages of Oprah that I actually took the indulgent time this month to go thru- every single page! Big congrats to you! and may the tribe and the good word of healthy eating continue to grow. Hope you and that wee ‘babe to be’ are well:)

Sarah – You always manage to come up with the most appropriately timed recipes. I made this last week and you’re right, the dressing and punch from the ginger pairs very well with the beets. Who knew! Thanks again for the creativity and inspiration. Hoping it’s been a rejuvenating and uplifting visit home. 🙂

Wow, not much a salad person but if it was available here I’d totally order this. I made the habit of dining out at a Chinese Restaurant in Capalaba area because of the veggie dishes but if I can whip up something like this then I won’t need to eat out lol

Started soaking my rice 3 days ago and enjoyed this salad for dinner tonight. I was delighted by how much mellower the wild rice tasted after sprouting. No mint, but I added a shredded apple. Delicious! I love when a recipe surprises me by how great the seemingly disparate ingredients come together to create magic! I’ll definitely make this one again. Good job 🙂

Dear Sarah,
I’ve just ‘discovered’ your blog and I’ve just baked my first wholefood Bananabread, it’s lovely! The real deal cereal makes my day every day and I want to thank you for your inspiration. It’s my birthday in two months so I’ve started preparing various raw and wholefood cakes/pies/tarts on your website. My guests will be able to enjoy my cookings without worrying about their health! Yay! And who knows: maybe I will inspire someone new!
All the best from the Netherlands,
Fenna

hello 🙂
I love your blog, absolutely stuffed with interesting material that i could read like a book!
i was wondering, because there are so many chemicals in so many cosmetic products, from which brands do you buy your cosmetic products (assuming you use them) from? thanks
best wishes to you and your family
harriet 🙂

This is a beautiful dish! I’ve never been a wild rice fan, but this sounds tasty-think I will try it. I also love beets & ginger; you may enjoy my Beet Namasu recipe posted on my blog mauigirlcooks.wordpress.com.

I’ve be teetering around with the idea of starting to sprout my own seeds, nuts and grains, and this recipe is going to give me the push I need to give it a try! The colours, textures and flavours have got my mouth watering. I always love finding new ways to prepare old favourites!

My most recent CSA box had beets in it, and now I have an amazing recipe to make with them! I’m new to ‘sprouting’ grains and am anxious to try it with wild rice. A number of years ago, I was made aware that most wild rice on the market is ‘cultivated’, different from the wild rice harvested by hand. There are online sites that carry the hand-harvested wild rice, said to be a far superior product.

You continue to inspire me to try new dishes and reinvent old recipes to make them healthier. Thank you!

You are my favorite blogger, and when I read that blurb in Oprah magazine on the plane I almost jumped out of my seat! I was so excited for you. Congratulations! I visit your blog time and time again; I make your recipes every week. Keep up the incredible work!

This could not have come at a more perfect moment. I just said today that I was going to experiment with soaking grains for raw dishes! I can’t wait to give this a shot. And I have always loved wild rice. The flavor cannot be beat!

BEAUTIFUL especially with the bright raw beets!!! It’s totally my kind of salad. I also love to sprout grains, seeds, and nuts for my everyday salads, which make it easier to digest not to mention the amount of living nutrients packed in them along with the crunchy & fresh bite.
Btw, I made your Miraculous Summer Crêpes last week for lunch and we ate them with savory & sweet fillings, my kids had a kick at the green color. I actually added a little bit more water because my buckwheat flour was darker and made the mixture rather thick. Nevertheless, it was delicious! Thanks again beautiful Mama-to-be.

I’ve been meaning to ask for a while but do you have any recommended shops in Cph? I’ve never seen half the stuff you have on here (and your produce looks so much nicer than the stuff I see in my local shops) 🙂

Yum! I have unfortunately never had wild rice before, but it’s on my to-eat list. Sometime soon! I’ve heard wonderful things about it, and I think I would really enjoy watching the wild rice bloom, too!